Mirkwood University
by PinkMartini
Summary: With the passing of the man she thought was her father, Ryder Grayson is thrown into another world intertwined with her own. Moving back to England to finish her senior year of college at Mirkwood University, she discovers who she really is and most importantly, who she can trust. Not everyone is always who they say they are...especially the boy she meets named Legolas Green.
1. A New Start

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Middle-earth or any characters conjured up from the brilliant mind of J.R.R. Tolkien.

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**SUMMARY:** With the passing of the man she thought was her father, Ryder Grayson is thrown into another world intertwined with her own. Moving back to England to finish her senior year of college, she discovers who she really is and most importantly, who she can trust. Not everyone is always who they say they are...especially the boy she meets called Legolas Green.

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**MIRKWOOD UNIVERSITY**

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**A New Start**

This place definitely isn't New York University Ryder thought to herself upon looking at the huge solid structure in front of her. She's not sure if it was common for Universities to look like castles in England. Mansion layouts and building facilities, sure. But a castle?

"Ready?"

Facing the voice behind her, she's reminded that she's enrolled in this institution for the last year of her college career.

"Sure," she nodded.

He walked leisurely down the concrete path to the massive wooden doors. She looked back at his private car with the driver waiting patiently against the passenger side door, unmoving.

Straightening her assigned uniform and tie, Ryder followed, not giving the driver another thought. A few glances are given her way, mostly toward the man leader her inside. It's not surprising since he's a handsome gentleman in a crisp business suit. Those who appeared to know him slightly nod as he returned the gesture. He must be known by the returning student body because why else would they interact with him that way.

"Remember, you're more than welcome to come home on the weekends. I can have a car sent for you."

"Thanks."

Home. Could she really call his mansion full of servants a 'home'? Perhaps over time, but leaving her real _home_—her life—in New York still felt too fresh to call it a place she once knew.

Inside the University, Ryder gaped in awe, feeling like she's stepped into Hogwarts. Not really quite like the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but it might as well be. The entrance led to an open courtyard with multiple entryways, corridors and passages.

"Aragorn!"

The voice suddenly came from somewhere among the crowd. Ryder turned to see a man with white hair approaching them. Her uncle immediately smiled at him. "Master Gandalf."

After greeting each other and shaking hands, they focused both their attention on her. "I'd like to introduce you to my niece, Ryder Grayson. Ryder, this is Gandalf Grey. He's the Headmaster here at Mirkwood University."

"Hi…it's nice to meet you," she extended her hand with a weak smile.

Gandalf smiled warmly at her with a firm shake. There's something about his light blue eyes that made it seem like they've met before, but the feeling quickly passes.

He's an older man with a long white beard who no doubt had seen things in his lifetime, probably witnessing milestones in his younger years. He had kind eyes and even with his old age, he looked fit with a couple of more years ahead of him.

"Welcome to our humble establishment. I do hope you'll be comfortable here," he said. "We have some of the finest instructors and extra circular activities available in this region."

"Ryder has signed up for gymnastics," her uncle revealed. Something about him telling this stranger that bit of information sounded embarrassing. It's like a parent showing off their child in the most awkward way possible.

"I used to complete in high school," she felt obligated to add. She was lucky enough to stay in one place long enough to finish high school and join the local team. When Ryder saw they offered the sport here, she jumped on the opportunity.

"That's wonderful. We have some very talented girls in that particular sport." He smiled again, glancing at his pocket watch. "I do apologize but I need to see how the other new students are faring. I trust you can lead young Ryder here to the girls' dormitory wing?"

Aragorn nodded. Some silent exchange passed between them but it leaves just as soon as it was given.

"It's a pleasure meeting you," Gandalf addressed her again. "Don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything while you are here."

"Thank you...umm…"

"You may call me Sir Gandalf," he smiled again.

"Sir Gandalf," she repeated.

"I believe your roommate has arrived as well. Excuse me."

They watched the Headmaster leave before Ryder turned to her uncle with a puzzled look on her features. "_Sir_ Gandalf? Was he knighted by the Queen or something?"

Aragorn grinned at her comment. "Yes. Something like that. Shall we go meet your roommate?"

x x x

The hallway is full of girls staring at Aragorn. It must not be a common practice to have a man of his stature in the girls' dormitory, she thought. He insisted in escorting Ryder to her room even after she declined the offer. It felt like the first day of grade school all over again when your parents dropped you off to make sure you could handle the pressure of being alone for a few hours without them.

"I guess this is my room," she said, looking at the old-fashioned numbers carved into the door. She knocked lightly to see if anyone was there. The doorknob suddenly escaped from her fingers as someone opened it all the way for her from the other side. The girl behind the door blinked at the two standing in the hallway, glancing at Ryder then at Aragorn.

"Oh, hi! You must be Ryder-Anne Grayson," she smiled after she realized she was staring.

"Just Ryder is fine."

"Oh, right..." the girl smiled again, a little embarrassed, "Welcome to Mirkwood University." Ryder found it odd how she knew her real name. A name she never used. Is there some kind of roommate biography she had on her because she'd like to have one of those, too. "My name is Emilia Luna. But you can call me 'Emi.'"

Emi was a tall girl with bright emerald eyes and shiny ginger hair that fell in waves down her back. She's dressed just like Ryder in her brown plaid skirt and fitted short sleeve shirt with the top button undone minus the forest green tie.

"May we come in?" asked Aragorn.

"Oh, of course! Pardon my rudeness." She stepped to side to let them into the room.

To Ryder's surprise her belongings have arrived. The chest and two suitcases she owns are sitting next to what she assumed will be her bed. The only thing she carried with her from Aragorn's home was her backpack.

Her uncle told her one of his servants would bring the rest of her things to the school grounds but didn't expect them to show up before she did. Having servants attend to her needs was something of a new experience as she was self-sufficient back in New York and having someone else do the simplest of things for her like pour her coffee was strange.

"Will you be all right settling in by yourself? I'm sorry I can't stay longer. I have a meeting to run to." Aragorn ceased her exploration of her side of the room. "Perhaps we can have dinner tomorrow night? You can tell me about your first day."

"Yeah, sounds good..."

"I'm sure Emi can help you better acquaint yourself with your new surroundings," he smiled at her roommate.

"I'll take good care of her Lord Aragorn," Emi smiled back with a nod.

Lord Aragorn? Ryder raised an eyebrow at her uncle as he walked away. He returned her look with a slight grin and quietly closed the door behind him. She faced Emi with an awkward smile once he was gone.

"So…you know my uncle?"

"Yes. Many of us do who have been around long enough. He's a good friend of Lord Green and his son who graduated two years ago."

"Who's Lord Green?"

"The one who owns the University, of course," chuckled Emi.

"Of course," she replied back sarcastically.

Before Ryder came to England, she looked at the school's website so she knew more about the place and what she was getting herself into before she moved here. The pictures of the University online did no justice on how it actually looked when you stood in front of it. It was a castle converted into a school full of tapestries, armor and expensive tables and vases that decorate the different rooms in and around the campus. Even her room was like a medieval chamber polished into the 21st Century.

The bio page on the school site never mentioned a Lord Green but explained the founder's passion for education and how it should be open to all peoples of the World. Upon reading the history of the school, it also said Mirkwood University was built in the countryside in northern England almost 120 years ago in a place that was christened Greenwood. Besides the University, the small town nearby was built by Thranduil Greenleaf. Since the first opening of the doors, his family had taken care of maintaining the school and town.

"Can I ask you another question?"

"Of course you may."

"Do the titles you give my uncle and the Headmaster have some kind of significance?"

"Oh, yes. It's only proper to address them by their titles," Emi answered, tilting to her head to the side. The way she seemed to look at Ryder suggested that she should have known that.

"Proper?" Ryder raised another eyebrow. She thought it might be because they came from money and had nothing to do with being knighted by the Queen of England. The title 'Lord' to the owner of the school made sense since his family basically owned this entire land—but Aragorn?

Emi averted her eyes for a moment. "They come from noble and respected families so...we must. To show respect."

"Oh..." Ryder nodded. Her roommate's explanation caught her by surprise.

Noble and respected families? She wondered now if that's the reason why Aragorn lived in a mansion with more than enough servants at his disposal. Perhaps he's a Duke of some sort who inherited his wealth from a past relative—which would also mean _her_ relative. She knew he's a businessman but doesn't know what type of business he's in.

"But enough about them," Emi dismissed the subject away with her hand. She sat cross-legged on her bed, her emerald eyes shining with curiosity. "Tell me about you! I'd like to know you better since we'll be rooming together. Sharing a space with someone you hardly know isn't always easy. I'd like for us to trust each other and feel comfortable in our shared space."

"Umm…okay." Ryder sat down on her own bed, which still needed sheets, pillows and blankets on it. She's not used to talking about herself or certain personal matters in her life, but she figured if she's going to live with this person for the next year, she might as well share something about herself. "Well, as you know my name is Ryder-Anne Grayson…"

"Yes—sorry about that," Emi interrupted. "I overheard Sir Gandalf talking to Lord Aragorn about his niece attending MU this year so I was looking forward to meeting you." She gave a sheepish smile, "Anyway, please continue."

"I'm glad you told me since I was wondering how you knew that. So…I was actually born here in England. According to my dad we lived in the small town in Framlingham, Suffolk but I don't remember much from my childhood there since we moved to New York when I was five."

"I do detect a slight European accent from you," Emi noted with a smile. "And what of your…parents? Are they still living in New York?"

Ryder sadly smiled at the question, which Emi noticed and wondered if she shouldn't have asked. "My mom died after accidentally consuming some kind of poisonous mushroom growing in her garden. After she passed is when my dad moved us to New York to start a new life, mainly because I think the town held too many memories of my mom for him."

Explaining how her mother died to people always sounded like she's covering up the real reason to make her death seem more interesting than it really was. How many people actually died from consuming unknown mushrooms in their backyard? It was still hard for Ryder to believe herself because she remembered how much her mother loved her garden and how knowledgeable she was of the plants and vegetables she grew. She thought her mother would know if there were dangerous mushrooms growing in her garden.

"Oh, my!" Emi covered her mouth. "I am so sorry for your loss. I'm sure your mother was a wonderful woman."

"She was…at least from what I remember."

A memory Ryder had of her mother was a lullaby she sang to her at night to help her sleep. She still found herself humming it when she would be lost in a daydream or concentrating on something.

Her mother had a soft beauty about her. She had long dark hair with piercing blue eyes. She was also tall and walked with a certain grace that she's never seen on anyone else. Wherever they went people always stopped to stare or steal another glance at her just to admire her beauty. She would smile down at Ryder and pretend not to notice those around them whenever her daughter would yank on her dress.

As a small child, Ryder always hoped to be like her one day—kind, loving, soft-hearted…and beautiful. She didn't have her mother's dark locks but she did inherit her blue eyes and height with a lighter brown hair color.

"And what of your father, may I ask?" Emi's voice brought her back to the present.

Ryder shook the memories away with a quiet sigh. "He also just recently passed away. About a year ago."

Emi's frown lines deepened. She moved next to Ryder, giving her an unexpected side hug. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to stir up any sad or painful memories. We can talk about something else."

"No, it's okay," Ryder assured her, gently patting Emi's arm around her shoulders.

She'd never met anyone to be so friendly toward her like with her new roommate in such a short amount of time. Normally, it would be awkward to have someone she barely knew comforting her in such a way, but Emi had a nurturing aura about her that made Ryder feel at ease about opening up to her about her life. Emi finally unwrapped herself, remaining quiet at her side instead of moving back to her own bed.

"My dad said he came from a long line of soldiers so it was in his blood to fight for something he believed in. He joined the army when I was about 10-years-old so we constantly moved from place to place, not staying anywhere for more than two or three years. I've basically lived everywhere—New York, Chicago, Maine, Germany, Japan…and it was something I got used to. It was our lifestyle and my dad was a great soldier. When I was about twelve, he spent a few months in Afghanistan, which during that time I couldn't live with him because it was unsafe for a child to be in a warring country."

"Did you live by yourself then?" Emi could only imagine how hard it must be living alone with your only parent away at war in another country.

"We were living in Maine at the time and my dad had a good friend named Gimli who I stayed with until he returned. He owned a small jewelry shop. I remember he used to let me braid his long beard," Ryder chuckled.

Emi softly laughed, "He sounds like a kind man. I'm glad you had someone to keep you company."

"Yes, he was very nice. For a stout English fellow he can be loud with his booming voice, but he was always good-natured and had a hearty laugh. It was also around that time when I met Aragorn."

"Your…uncle?"

"My dad sent me an email about a man that was in town on business who wanted to meet me. He said he was a distant relative on my mom's side."

Before meeting Aragorn, neither one of her parents ever talked about him. Ryder wasn't even aware she had relatives because she never saw any of their family's pictures or even heard a relative's name in passing. She just always assumed it was the three of them and over time, never cared enough to remember to ask.

They sat in Gimli's living room as Aragorn explained how he was her uncle and that he attended her mother's funeral but she was too young to remember him. He felt deeply for their loss as she was a kind person and one of his last remaining relatives, aside from her daughter. It was a brief meeting but Ryder would never forget his face. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt like she knew Aragorn, especially when she looked into his gray eyes. Something about his eyes reminded her of her mother.

"When I finally entered high school we lived in Chicago," she continued, "and I was able to finish all four years there. My dad moved up in rank so he had more of a say so on where he wanted to be stationed and for how long. After high school, I moved to attend New York University, up until my junior year…"

"Is that…when your father passed away?" Emi softy asked.

"Yes. He had to go back to the Middle East and was caught in a small night raid. Aragorn came shortly thereafter to New York when he heard the news to help me deal with the military funeral held in Chicago. Because he's the only living relative I have…here I am."

Losing her dad took its toll. Ryder didn't want to finish school or even think about any kind of future for herself. She was a bright young girl, always at the top of her class and getting praised by her instructors. But after Henry Grayson left her, all the motivation and hard work he instilled in his daughter also left her. Her grades slipped, she skipped lectures and exams and in the end, barely managed to pass her classes.

Aragorn offered her a change of scenery and to finish her senior year at Mirkwood University so he could look after her and get to know her better since all they have left now is each other. After she graduated, he promised to support her in whatever path she chose. She spent a week at his mansion before relocating to the campus for the new school year.

Taking her hand, Emi squeezed it gently. "Again, I'm sorry for the unfortunate circumstance that brought you here, but I'm glad you're here," she smiled sympathetically. "I hope this is another fresh start for you—one filled with happy experiences that will last a lifetime."

"Thank you," she half-smiled at the sincerity in her voice. Starting over for Ryder wasn't new. She'd done it plenty of times because of her father's career, but with him no longer in the picture, this time felt different. Knowing someone like Emi was around to help her adjust might just be the thing she needed to keep her head up, stay strong, and not let her father down.

"Now…shall I take you on a tour?"

x x x

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**Author's Note:** I just want to point out that I don't really know where army bases are located…I just listed a few places for the purpose of the story. I also wanted to start off with Ryder's background and more of it (even her name) will be revealed in the upcoming chapters. Also the background of the other characters will be explained.

Hope you liked the first chapter!

_**Please review!**_


	2. The Charmer

**The Charmer**

"Your class is just down the hall. I'll meet up with you this afternoon for lunch. Good luck!" Emi waved goodbye.

Ryder was given a map of the school grounds but how in the world was she going to remember where all her classes where in this maze of a castle? Emi attempted to show her where most of her lectures were on the small tour she gave yesterday, but the hallways and running back and forth across the courtyard proved to be exhausting so Emi escorted her over.

As her roommate left, the hallway began to quickly empty with only one door still opened at the end with students piling in so she assumed it had to be her class. Looking at her schedule, it was Earth Biology. The class had to do with the study of the nature and status of earth's biodiversity. She's never heard of it before but how to preserve the earth and its inhabitants and ecosystem sounded interesting. Ryder also signed up for the class because it was a requirement for graduation.

Students were quietly talking amongst themselves when she walked in. If she didn't know any better she'd think she stepped into the room where all the beautiful people in the University gathered. The girls were tall with flawless skin, some with porcelain faces, others kissed by the sun. Even the boys looked like they stepped out of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog. They all seemed to have a natural beauty to their features.

Even the professor. "Please take a seat," she said, motioning for Ryder to take no particular chair among the columns of seats available. The professor had long, straight golden hair and brown eyes. She was also wearing a short lab coat that fit her body perfectly.

Ryder moved around the students standing in the aisles catching up with friends and chose a seat near the middle section where other students were spread out, some quietly observing her as she prepared her notebook. Not noticing other students receiving the same looks, she wondered if she stuck out like a sore thumb that badly?

With the hundreds of students that entered and exited the University every year, every semester, it was as if they could detect she was new. No particular group seemed to be talking about her but the random stares she received said otherwise. What was their problem?

"All right everyone…please take a seat as I begin the lesson, I hope—" the instructor stopped talking halfway into closing the door. Ryder and a few others looked up from their notebooks.

Someone had stuck their book in between the door and the doorjamb just before getting locked out of the room. Opening the door to let the last student in, she shook her head at the boy walking guiltily into her class. "Declan Finn, now I _know_ you're not trying to start off this school year by making it a habit of being late to my lectures again like you did last year."

The students snickered as he sheepishly smiled at her, "I'm terribly sorry Professor Dahoon. I went home for a few months…still trying to adjust between time zones and all. I promise to do better this year."

"Let's hope so." She looked unconvinced and unaffected by his puppy dog eyes as she motioned for him to join the rest of the students in an empty seat.

Declan Finn was tall and handsome. He looked like he played sports with the slim muscular physique he had, maybe swimming, volleyball, or European soccer. His eyes were hazel, hair a bronze color and cropped short. He also had a dimple in his left cheek that was visible with the slightest expression under his thinly kept beard.

He smiled at Ryder as he passed her row, heading up two more rows and sitting almost right behind her. She could feel her cheeks warming from getting caught staring. Almost every male student she's seen at this University was attractive and he was no exception.

"As I was saying," the professor glanced at Declan before continuing to close the door, "I hope you all enjoyed your time off—got to venture out in the world or visit your families back home. For those of you new to Mirkwood University, welcome. I am Camellia Dahoon. But you may call me Professor Dahoon. Welcome to Earth Biology."

After her introduction and what she expected of her students, Professor Dahoon passed out the syllabus and went briefly over what she'll be discussing for the first week. Ryder was thankful all the materials and assignments were laid out in writing so she could get a head start. She promised herself she would do her best in her academics and not let the past year distract her again.

It was her senior year. Her final year before she had to face the real world. But what she wanted to do after college still wasn't clear to her at this point. A degree in International Relations could have her at a desk job or traveling to different countries to see how governments worked, gathering intellectual materials from fields such as technology, engineering, economics, and history, just to name a few.

Ever since she was young, Ryder was interested in how other countries operated and always imagined to be some sort of delegate for an important cause—someone who made a difference. Ryder's father told her when she was younger that her mother always said she knew her daughter would make a difference in people's lives someday, so taking an interest in this type of career was also a way to keep her mother's memory alive.

The most logical thing to do after college for most young adults was to find a job and be counted among the workforce. But Ryder thought she might just also wander around for a while until she's ready to face actual 'adult' responsibilities.

Her father, Henry, left her with plenty of inheritance money, more than some people could imagine in a lifetime so there was time to decide what she wanted to do with the rest of her life before going broke and begging for scraps out on the streets. The inheritance was something she didn't mention to people because how many girls her age had bricks of gold stashed in a foreign bank locked in a secured vault under their name?

Ryder knew her parents came from some wealth, although they never talked about it, so a decent inheritance was to be expected, but where and how her father came into obtaining the bricks was a complete mystery. She didn't even know bricks like that still existed. Most importantly, she wondered if Aragorn knew what her father left her. Ryder never did quite understand his explanation of how he was her uncle if he wasn't one of her mother's siblings.

"Hey…excuse me..." the whispering voice behind her interrupted her daydreaming. Cautiously turning around while the professor was still busy talking, Ryder saw it was Declan Finn. He smiled at her when they finally made eye contact. The first thing she noticed was his lips and the smile he carried, then his hazel eyes. She wasn't really sure at first if it was her attention he was seeking until he smiled again with his dimpled cheek. "Could I borrow a writing pen? Mine seems to have lost its ink." He shook the black pen in his hand indicating that it wasn't working.

There were other students in his row closer to him who he could have asked but he asked her instead. Ryder barely knew the guy so the assumption that he was trying to flirt with her was something she didn't want to entertain.

"Sure…" she whispered back, hoping the professor hadn't notice the lack of focus on her part. She reached behind her to hand him one of her extra pens while he leaned forward to take it.

Their hands briefly touched, Ryder noticing how rough his fingertips were. She was sure he had to play some kind of sport that involves his hands. They weren't rough to the touch like someone who's been working with their hands their entire life, but just enough to know that he didn't mind getting a little dirt under his fingernails…although he looked like he had nice manicured hands.

"Thanks, I owe you one," he smiled again.

For the remainder of class, she could feel his eyes on her back, like he was examining her or trying to figure her out. It was sort of a sixth sense she had around people. It was also a bit unnerving, which made it hard to concentrate on what the professor was saying. But still, she jotted down notes to distract herself from her thoughts. When the hour was over, Ryder quickly gathered her things to rush to her next class that Emi said would her take a good walk to another building.

"Ryder Grayson?" she heard someone call her before she was able to exit out the door. It was Professor Dahoon.

"Yes?"

"Hi. I didn't mean to stop you so suddenly," she said with an apologetic smile. "I just wanted to formally introduce myself to you. You might get this a lot today, but I've heard a lot about you from Aragorn. He's very happy you're here. I hope you'll enjoy your school year at MU."

"Thank you," she half-smiled in return. "Me, too."

That was…strange? Why was her uncle talking about her with her instructor? Were they close friends? And what did she mean by, 'You might get this a lot today'? Who else knew she's here? Aragorn must have announced her arrival to the faculty staff so if she gets more instructors introducing themselves to her she'll assume that's the reason. It'll be like people having heard stories about her and know her on some level when she's never met any of them.

Briefly glancing in Declan's direction, he was taking his time with his belongings while talking to a group of friends in the process. He caught her gaze immediately, which quickly sent her out the door after saying goodbye to her professor. The speed walking Ryder did, however, didn't do much to evade Declan from catching up to her with his long legs.

"Hey…it's Ryder, right?" he said as he matched her steps.

"Yeah," she briefly glanced at him, holding tightly onto her book bag and trying to remember the way to her next class.

"Thanks again for lending me your pen." In her haste to leave, she forgot to ask for it back. "Here."

"Thanks…" She took it from him and placed it in her bag's side pocket.

"Where are you headed?"

His question was harmless enough and to not seem rude with their first real conversation, she took out her schedule, "I have…International Politics next."

"Tree Beard Hall."

"What?"

"Your class is in Tree Beard Hall," he told her. Ryder looked at the map attached to the paper trying to figure out how to get there. Declan subtly smirked at her. "Listen, my next class is in the same building. I can take you there."

"Thanks, but I'd rather find it on my own," she half-smiled. She'll eventually need to learn how to navigate her way through the campus and if everyone keeps escorting her, she'll never find her classes without a guide. One of her goals is to know Mirkwood University like the back of her hand—even though that goal will surely take a while.

"We're headed in the same direction," Declan countered. "It's across the courtyard and a good ways if you don't know the shortcut."

Contemplating on whether or not he was telling the truth, she didn't want to risk it. Being late for her classes on the first day and interrupting while the lesson has started is embarrassing. Declan would know that, but the entire class staring at him earlier didn't seem to faze him.

"Fine. I'll take you up on your offer."

That made Declan smile, the single dimple on his cheek showing. Also now the second person Ryder's met at MU. "I know this campus pretty well. I can draw you a better map of your classes if you want," he continued as they walked side by side toward the courtyard. Students watched them as they made their way across campus, mostly the female students whispering to each other.

"I see you have a fan club."

"Pardon?" Declan looked around and shook his head at what she was referring to. Chuckling, he turned back to Ryder, "Just because I'm on the swim team doesn't necessarily mean I have a fan club." He gave the girls a short wave as they happily returned the gesture.

One of her guesses was right. He was a swimmer. "You don't need to be an athlete to have a fan club," she smirked.

He returned the grin. "And what about you, Ryder Grayson, are you into any sports?" he asked, ignoring the real meaning behind her comment. She assumed he heard her full name when Professor Dahoon called her over.

"Gymnastics."

"Nice. The gymnastics team here is pretty good. Are you planning on trying out?"

"Yes, I have an audition this afternoon."

And before she knew it, they were at their destination. The route they took was quicker than Ryder imagined. Checking her watch, she still had a few minutes to spare. She didn't remember the entire way, but hopefully she can recognize some of the landmarks tomorrow when she tries the same path to Tree Beard Hall.

"Told you," Declan smirked again.

"And so you did," Ryder gave him the satisfaction he was looking for. "Well…thanks."

"My pleasure, Miss Grayson," he did a formal bow with his head bent down. When he finally looked up at her, he was still smiling.

Ryder good-humoredly rolled her eyes as she walked away, "Quite the charmer, Mister Finn."

x x x

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry, I meant to get this out sooner! Got side-tracked a little.

_**Please review!**_


	3. The Altercation

**The Altercation **

"I'm famished!"

"Slow down, Ryder," Emi chuckled. "You know, there's more where that came from."

After finding the rest of her classes on her own, Ryder met up with Emi for lunch. She hadn't realized running around and trying to absorb all the information that morning would make her hungrier than she was. Emi took her down to the Village where most of the students went if they didn't feel like eating campus food or if they merely wanted to socialize away from the school grounds.

There were two important rules the students of Mirkwood University were to abide by. No students were to leave the school grounds without permission unless it was to Greenwood Village. It was close to the University and provided a change of scenery for those who wanted to get away from the campus for a few hours. Also because it was really the only place within miles anyone could go to that was guarded by campus security. The surrounding area was the forest.

The more important of the two rules is to never venture into Mirkwood Forest. Stories of wild animals, spirits taking your soul and people going missing were the popular reasons among the students as to why the Headmaster strictly forbids it. There have been a few occasional incidents of missing students, mostly females, but most people suspected that they simply dropped out of the University and left without the facility staff knowing.

Failure to comply with these two rules resulted in expulsion.

"How much time do we have?" asked Ryder.

"We still have plenty of time," replied Emi, looking at her watch and smiling. They had the same class next.

Ryder was happy to hear she could slow down her food consumption because she wanted to go for seconds of whatever Emi ordered her. It was some kind of meat, like chicken, but better. The bread, too, was delicious. She couldn't remember the name but she made a mental note to order it again next time.

Looking around the small restaurant, it was like a mix of the modern day world and the olden times of European settlements. The students in their uniforms were mixed in with the Village inhabitants with their clothing of tunics, linen shirts and dresses. Most of the Village was like a Renaissance Fair with the wood houses, dirt roads, old-fashioned "ye old" signs and taverns. A single road in the middle of the Village led out of the country and into real civilization.

Emi told her the people of Geenwood Village lived a simple life except for the electronics and vehicles used to make life out in the countryside a little easier. A few restaurants were also built for the students to give them the feel that they were eating at a place out in the main city. Ryder noticed how hospitable the Villagers were to the students and staff that made their way to their small establishment. It might also be because they gave the people business to keep their stores and restaurants operating.

After Ryder ordered more of the bread she liked and packed it in her bag, she and Emi made their way back to the castle. It was about a fifteen minute walk on foot along the manmade path surround by a lesser forest that slanted slightly uphill back to the main entrance. By the time they reached the doors, Ryder was quietly panting. She looked over at Emi who didn't seem effected by the small hike at all.

"You get used to it," Emi shrugged nonchalantly.

Looking back at their steps, Ryder's boot prints were hard in the soft earth from the rain last night, but Emi's barely made a dent. It was like her roommate tiptoed up the hill. Ryder assumed she was just careful where she stepped because of the muddled areas and easily shrugged off the curious idea.

Many students like them were returning from the Village for their afternoon classes. The sun was finally peeking through the clouds but it was still a cold autumn day. Ryder looked up at the castle's structure with its square and pointy tops. The gargoyle statues placed in different locations high above the towers almost looked lifelike in their design, right down to their facial expressions. She wondered how the school was able to get the statues up that high with no windows or real ledges for transportation.

"Earth to Ryder?" Emi waved a hand in front of her.

"Sorry," she smiled embarrassed. "What were you saying?"

Emi grinned. "Hard to soak in everything all at once isn't it?"

"You can say that again," Ryder sighed, taking another look at the campus around her. The place was truly magnificent and so much of it still unexplored. Would she really learn all of its ins and outs before the school year was over? Even some of the secrets the school might contain? She could only hope.

x x x

The hallway to their next class was a little more crowded than the rest of the Halls she'd been to. According to Emi, this is Hobbiton Hall where most of the general classes were located that weren't specifically tied to a major.

Someone ran past Ryder, bumping into her without so much as an apology. "Hey, watch it!" Emi called after the small boy. He waved his sorry but didn't bother looking back, weaving around the other students. Running with his backpack straps firmly in hand, he was gone in seconds inside the crowd.

"Short little fellow isn't he?" Ryder chuckled. The boy probably wasn't more than five foot three by her guess. Standing at almost five foot nine, that was short by her standards.

"You'll see a few of them around here."

"Who?"

"The short folk." Ryder raised a confused eyebrow so Emi elaborated. "They come from another part of the country. A lot of them are no more than the height of that boy or even shorter. Something about their diet or culture that makes them short. Or so the Headmaster says. Quick little devils, too, who hate to wear shoes."

"What?" Ryder chuckled again, amused. "Don't tell me they don't wear shoes where they come from?"

Emi rolled her eyes. "Probably not from the way they like to take off their shoes in class," she replied in disgusted. That, Ryder had to witness.

Down the hall, a group of boys were gathered, laughing and comparing muscles under their uniform jackets. Some of the girls were staring with lust in their eyes while others like Ryder and Emi found it immature. They looked like school jocks, maybe rugby or lacrosse as their sport of choice. Ryder hadn't seen all the extracurricular activities MU had.

And to Ryder's dismay, the door leading to their next class was past the barbarians. Emi didn't seem too thrilled about having to walk past them either. The four boys were actually bigger and more muscular up close. Because of their size, wrestlers also crossed Ryder's mind.

One of them, a boy with dark hair and eyes, saw them approaching. He nudged his friends to pay attention to where he was looking. When the other boys caught on to the attractive sight, all eyes were on them. "These guys are jerks. Since you're new they'll try to make a pass at you, but just ignore them," Emi told her.

"What about you? I'm surprised if they didn't try to hit on you, too. You're gorgeous."

"Oh, believe me, they've tired," Emi's eyes narrowed into something fierce. Something Ryder's never seen in Emi before. Then again, she still doesn't know her roommate very well.

"Hey, Luna, who's your new friend?" asked the dark haired boy. A chill crawled up Ryder's spine as he spoke. Her gut was telling her to never trust this guy. His eyes were almost as black as the night and she felt uneasy near him. Even around his friends.

"Someone above your league, Sard," Emi replied sweetly with a bitter undertone.

Sard frowned at her answer, shifting his attention to Ryder as his friends quietly snickered at the remark. "Seems like Luna has forgotten her manners so why don't you tell me who you are my pretty little thing?"

Ryder stopped walking and turned to face him, grinning like she was interested. He grinned back, taking a step forward. "My name is...none of your business," she answered, dropping the smile and rolling her eyes. Emi covered her mouth from full on laughing at Sard's embarrassing rejection in front of his friends. Ryder hated arrogant guys who thought girls like her would easily fall for their charms. Being raised by a single military father for most of her life and being surrounded by men and tough women, she knew better. Or...usually did. She knew what a broken heart felt like and tried to avoid it at all costs...especially after her dad died.

The girls continued down the hall, nearing their class, but Sard wasn't going to be made a fool of—especially not by someone like Ryder. And in front of his friends. Most girls would faint from a mere glance by him so she should be no different from the rest. He was confident that over time she'd be begging him to sneak into her dorm room.

Sard walked up right behind Ryder and whispered close to her ear, "I'll find out your name soon enough my pretty little thing." He pinched her rear making her jump from the rude assault. The dark haired boy walked back to his friends, laughing. They all gave him a high-five for redeeming himself.

She was furious. The other thing Ryder hated was being disrespected, most of all from the likes of Sard and his barbarians. They probably fondled plenty of girls, including Emi, and got away with it because no one ever did anything to stand up from themselves or thought there was nothing they could do. Well, she was never that type of girl. The value of respect her dad taught her rang clearer in her ears more now than ever.

Ryder dropped her book bag and marched toward Sard who had his back to her. Emi and various students who saw what he did waited for what might unfold. She politely tapped Sard on his shoulder. He turned around surprised to see her. "Back for more so soon?" he smirked.

"You owe me an apology," Ryder said casually.

"An apology?" he scoffed, looking at his friends like it was some kind of joke.

"Yes. And if you don't...in a few seconds you'll wish you did," she threatened.

This made Sard laugh. "Look, sweet lips, I don't apologize to anyone. Not when I know they've enjoyed my touch," he replied, annoyed, stepping closer to her again. She knew it was a form of intimidation, Sard using his size against her. He was at least six foot four if not taller.

She stared up at him and before he had a chance to blink, she poked him in three different places with her index and middle fingers. Her movements were swift catching everyone off guard, most of all Sard and his friends. Sard suddenly appeared to be struggling to breath. His friends backed away when she gently pushed him with one finger against the wall. Now that he was immobilized, she could share a few words on her mind with him. Emi and the other students looked on with shock and confused expressions.

"Don't struggle. You'll only make it worse," Ryder shook her head at him. "You're probably wondering what I did to you. Well, luckily for you I'm in a telling kind of mood." She smiled mischievously and continued, "I've hit three major pressure points in your body to keep you from using your limbs and vocal cord. I've also tightened the oxygen flow to your lungs, that's why you're gasping for air right now. Don't worry, you're not going to die. I just want you to listen." Ryder slammed her palm against the wall next to Sard's head making him blink in fear. "The next time you so much as _look _at me or any other girls at this school the wrong way, or touch them without their permission, I'll make sure you lose a vital organ. Got it?" Sard nodded as best as he could. "Now, would you like to try apologizing to me again?" Ryder sweetly batted her long eyelashes.

Sard nodded once more, wheezing from the lack of oxygen. She released the pressure holds on his body and took a step back. He fell to the floor, his hands on his chest, inhaling as much air as he could manage in one breath. "I...I'm sorry," he breathed. His friends helped him to his feet while still being cautious around her in case she did something to them as well.

"What is going on out here?" Someone who sounded like they had authority was making their way through the crowd. It was Sir Gandalf, the Headmaster. Emi shoved her way to Ryder, pulling her away from Sard and handing her back her book bag.

Sir Gandalf looked at Sard's condition with curiosity. "What happened here?"

"Her!" he immediately pointed at Ryder who didn't flinch at the accusation. "She tried to kill me!"

"What?" Ryder exclaimed. "You're the one who harassed _me!_"

"All right, the both of you, please calm down. I'll hear from both sides before I rule my punishment," said Sir Gandalf.

"Punishments?" they both whined.

"Every student here knows that fighting is not allowed on campus or in Greenwood Village."

"It was hardly a fight," Emi said under her breath.

"Mr. Sardenus Groth, I'll hear your side of the story first. Everyone else, please head to your classes...unless you want to partake in my punishment as well?" the Headmaster raised his eyebrows at the students. They all quietly disbursed, Ryder still glaring at Sard and the smug grin on his face. "Ms. Grayson?"

"Yes?" she turned her focus to him, embarrassed.

"Please make your way to my office after your class is over."

"Yes, sir."

"I can't believe you did that! That was amazing," Emi said, astonished, after the halls cleared and the Headmaster and Sard were no longer in sight.

Ryder, however, didn't share in her excitement. Her first day of classes and she's already caught in an altercation. This wasn't like her. She's never fought in school and no matter how angry she got at someone she always had enough self-control to keep her skills at bay. She could imagine her dad shaking his head at her in his grave—may he rest in peace.

This is not how she wanted to start the school year in a new school and in a new country. Aragorn would flip if she got expelled. But hopefully that won't be the case. There was just something about Sard that asked for an ass whipping and she was more than happy to oblige. No one would suspect that she could easily take him down regardless of his enormous size to her slender frame.

"What else can you do?" Emi asked with more curiosity and excitement in her voice.

"You'd be surprised..." Ryder muttered and walked into class.

**x x x**


	4. Mirkwood Tavern

**Mirkwood Tavern**

"We should still celebrate!" Emi announced, going through her closet to find something to wear.

"Thanks, but I think this hardly calls for a celebration." Ryder appreciated her thoughtfulness but wasn't in the mood to really do anything but mope.

"Of course it does! Even though you didn't make the gymnastics team at least you're still here."

Earlier that day, after the incident with Sardenus Groth, Ryder made her way to Sir Gandalf's office with Emi waiting outside in the hallway. She had no idea where his office was located so she was glad Emi came along. She kept hoping her little stunt with the big brute didn't get her kicked out of the University. Suspension for a few days she could live with…even though she knew Aragorn wouldn't be as accepting of it. According to Emi, the University had strict rules on a lot of things.

x x x

"Enter." Ryder took a deep breath before pushing open the door. Sir Gandalf was seated in his chair with multiple documents scattered on his desk. He motioned for her to take a seat in front of him while he organized his things. "This won't take long."

His words told her he'd already made his decision. What did Sard tell him? She could imagine him lying through his teeth to make _him_ look like the victim. The thought of it made Ryder's blood boil. For what it was worth, she was glad she stood up to him. The thought of not acting on her instincts would have irritated her forever. Still, she knew the consequences of her actions. A force like that toward any person was uncalled for and she didn't learn the art to intentionally hurt anyone.

"I'm sorry for what I did earlier," she said quietly. Her apology might not do her any good but she felt like she had to say it for her own subconscious well-being.

"What exactly _did _you do?" he asked, clasping his hands on top of his desk, waiting for her answer. He had the same curious look as the others who witnessed what she did. "According to Sardenus, you tried sucking the life out of him."

"That's absurd!" Ryder blurted without thinking. She leaned back into her seat, her cheeks warming. Taking a calming breath, she shook her head. "That's not what I did."

"Care to explain?"

"I just triggered some of the pressure points in his body so he would listen to what I had to say. I knew if I just slapped him for inappropriately touching me, he'd just laugh and not care how violated I felt."

"And where did you learn to do this?" Gandalf cocked his head to one side.

The question made Ryder uncomfortable and if she said she learned it on YouTube it'd be a lie, but one that might sound more believable than the actual truth. She averted her eyes to the floor, "I travelled around a lot when I was younger. My dad was in the military. We went on a trip to China one year…and that's where I learned it."

Sir Gandalf had a glint of impressed curiosity in his eyes. "You learned how master blocking someone's chi in China?"

It was now Ryder's turn to be impressed. "You know about chi blocking?"

"No, not really. But I've heard of it," he smiled kindly. "I know that there are several types of pressure points that when triggered can create different effects on the body such as pain or involuntary movements. In the case of your demonstration earlier…immobilize someone."

"I wasn't trying to hurt him on purpose," she replied softly. "I've never used the technique on anyone before…at least outside of my training."

"In China?"

"Yes, in a Buddhist temple on a remote area in the mountains. My dad wanted me to learn it for some reason, said it was good to learn how the mind and body worked. I thought we were going there for a vacation. But I wrong." Ryder was providing more information than he needed but the words just kept flowing out of her. It was like she had to answer all of his questions truthfully whether she wanted to or not. It was as if she couldn't control herself.

The monks at the temple had guarded secrets that she wasn't allowed to share with the outside world. She knew enough about the flow of energy in a human body, but she would hardly call herself a Master. Those who were true masters of the art devoted most of their lives to the study. She just got luckily they accepted her as a student. Gandalf's questions made her nervous because she didn't want to accidentally reveal something about her training that was not meant to be shared.

"I have heard from your uncle that you've had an interesting upbringing."

"Constantly moving and learning different cultures along the way wasn't so bad," she shrugged nonchalantly.

The only cons to seeing the world was never making any real friends or staying in one place long enough to call it 'home'. Attachments to things and people weren't a luxury Ryder could afford. Because of her father's military career she also matured sooner than most girls who were fussing over who the hottest guy on the cover of a teen magazine was or what outfit would impress the popular boy at the party. All that changed when she entered high school and was finally able to have a normal teenage life. Gymnastics seemed like a good normal activity to get into, away from the things her father was pushing on her to learn.

x x x

"Good thing Sir Gandalf only gave you a warning," Emi said. "I wonder what kind of punishment, if any, he gave to Sard?"

"I don't know," Ryder shrugged. And she really didn't care. Unless more girls stepped forward with a confession there's a slim chance he'd get expelled. He most likely got off with a warning and on probation for the next month like her. All she really cared about was Sard remembering what she said the next time they crossed paths.

After her meeting with the Headmaster, the tension in her shoulders lightened. However, Gandalf did make it clear that her uncle will be informed so she didn't necessarily get away unscathed. The next time she sees Aragorn, she's trusting he'd have the time to cool off before their dinner tomorrow evening in Mirkwood Village.

Not making it on the gymnastic team ruined the rest of her afternoon. Because the afternoon was already off to a bad start to begin with, Ryder's nerves got the best of her and she made mistakes in the tryouts she normally wouldn't have. Comparing her tryout to the rest of the girls, it was like they were preparing for the Olympics. They had perfect forms, long legs and strong landings. Her performance was sloppy.

"What are you going to wear?" Her roommate made her way across the room and peered in her closet.

"Whatever is comfortable."

Emi frowned. "You're no fun."

"It's freezing outside!" she chuckled. "And we're only going to the Village. It's not like we're headed out to the city."

"Better the Village than Mirkwood Forest. And those are really the only two options we have."

"Why is that? Why aren't students allowed to leave the campus without permission? That seems strange don't you think?" she asked curiously. "I mean, we're practically adults and of legal drinking age."

Back at New York University, students were allowed to go off campus whenever they wanted. Students didn't have to worry about campus security tackling them down for leaving the premises or having their parents called like in high school. If a student decided to skip a class, the instructor could care less because it was the student wasting his or her scholarship or parent's money, which had no effect on their salary. They taught those who wanted to learn.

The teachers also barely paid attention to the individual faces in their classrooms. She never even saw the Academics Dean around. She only knew him on paper when she got the notifications of making it on the dean's list for her academic excellence. There was definitely a lot more freedom at her old school…and missed it.

"Think about it? Where could we go?" Emi scoffed on the idea of venturing outside the Village. "There's nothing around for miles. If you also haven't noticed we're surrounded by a forest with the only road leading out of this place barely wide enough to hold two cars passing by each other. Then, once you get to the actual paved road to the city, it's another how many miles until you actually see the first line of buildings?"

She had a point. They were pretty secluded. The only time students freely left the school was on weekends when parents, guardians, or their servants picked them up. That's how rich most of them were. They had others driving them around so it wasn't that surprising when Emi told her not many had a driver's license because there was no need for one, herself included.

It was also rare for a student to have a car of their own on school property because of the rules set and the distance from the school to the nearest city. Ryder remembered the car ride from Aragorn's mansion was at least forty minutes away. Imagine how long it would take to walk.

"Well, what about the forest?"

"I told you Sir Gandalf forbids it."

"Yeah, but...why is so…forbidden?" She wiggled her fingers at Emi as if to spook her. Ryder didn't believe in urban legends. Most of it was told to scare the local residence from doing something stupid or getting lost in an area not meant for wandering people. "I'm sure students have gone there without anyone knowing."

"Yes, but honestly, I think it's to protect the students. A couple of years ago a girl went missing and was found unconscious deep in the woods. When she woke up in the medical ward she couldn't remember a thing. Not why she went there or what happened after. The other weird thing is…" Emi looked hesitant to tell her, "she had a long gash on her arm when she was brought back. It was a big scene in the courtyard."

"A gash? Like she fell on a branch?"

"No…" the ginger-haired girl shook her head, trying to recollect the event. "It didn't look like she fell and tripped on anything. The cut was more precise than that—clean. Lucky for her, the wound wasn't very deep."

"How could you tell?" Ryder asked curiously. Were they friends? Did the girl tell Emi what the doctor told her about her wound and what might have happened to her? Could it have been some kind of wild animal attack?

"I had a class with her but we barely spoke." Emi walked over to her small closet and unfolded a piece of cloth hiding a long square box. She brought it over to Ryder's bed and unlocked it.

"What…are those?" Ryder looked puzzled at its contents.

"Knives, of course," Emi rolled her eyes with a smile. "I collect them." Ryder gave her a disbelieving look. Emi took one out of its grooved holding place and gave it to her to examine. The steel or whatever it was made out of was light and had carvings on the hilt. It was beautifully crafted and even though Ryder didn't know much about knives, she could tell this would easily slice her head open.

"This definitely doesn't look like a letter opener. I guess we all have our secrets, don't we?" she softly laughed.

"I guess we do," Emi agreed with a smile. "My father's friend made these for me as a gift when I was given permission to attend Mirkwood University."

"Permission?"

"Yes, well," she looked embarrassed, "my father's a little overprotective. He wanted me to resume my lessons closer to home. Mirkwood University is also a pretty exclusive school. It's not like most universities."

"An overprotective father who lets you collect sharp objects?"

"Ironic isn't it?"

"I don't have to sleep with my guard up…do I?" Ryder asked jokingly.

Emi shook her head, "Only if you promise not to use that pressure point technique thing on me."

"Deal."

x x x

On their way to Mirkwood Village, Emi explained the wound the girl received had to be some kind of knife from the way the cut was made on her arm. Whether she inflicted pain on herself or if someone else did it remains a mystery. The school kept tight-lipped about it. The memory loss of the girl was also never recovered. Shortly after the incident, the female student transferred to another school and was never heard from again.

"That's definitely a story that'll keep people out of the woods," Ryder commented.

"Enough about that," Emi dismissed the subject with her hand. "Let's enjoy tonight after completing our first day in one piece. I know it's not the ending you were hoping for, but let's make the best of it."

"Sounds good," she smiled.

The two girls walked arm-in-arm as the sun slowly began to set over the mountains. It was a beautiful and calming sight. Secluded or not, they had the best view in the area. Many students were already in the Village having a good time and hanging out with their friends after the long day. The street lamps were on and the restaurants, pub and shops were brightly lit and full chatter and music.

It almost resembled a festival. The students were out of their uniforms and some of the staff was walking in and out of the different decorated doors and buying food or trinkets to bring back. The pub was especially the loudest. Surprisingly, there were dogs, pigs and sheep walking around as well with their owners. Ryder raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"You get used to it," Emi smirked, seeing her perplexed expression. "There's a farmland on the other side of the Village. Most of the people here are farmers and sheepherders."

"Oh, I believe it."

"C'mon, let's check out the pub." Emi pulled her by the wrist.

"It looks kinda crowded…" Ryder resisted Emi's quick strides while she dragged her along. In front of Mirkwood Tavern was a big window that showcased the beer clinking and loud laughter and singing of its customers. Ryder wasn't so sure if she wanted to partake in their merriment. She still felt out of place in her new surroundings.

"It'll be _fun_, I promise," her roommate smiled. Emi's emerald eyes twinkled in the light. Stepping inside, her smile grew wider. No one really paid attention to them as they stood in the doorway soaking in the atmosphere. It was much louder inside and more inebriated people than Ryder imagined.

"Take a seat anywhere you can find it, loves!" the bartender called out. He was a short, husky man with short, curly hair and a long beard braided down to his chest. "The usual?" he asked Emi.

"Yes, two please!" she nodded back with an excited smile. The bartender returned the nod and got two glasses from the shelf.

"The usual?" Ryder wondered curiously what her new friend's usual drink was. She didn't expect her to be a regular here but now it makes sense why she was so adamant about making this their first stop, if any.

"You'll like it. It's a beer exclusively brewed the Village. I get all the time."

Ryder eyed her. "I never guessed you for a beer kind of girl. Wine or a mixed drink, maybe. But then again…I wouldn't have imagined you as a knife collector either."

"Speak for yourself Pressure Point Master," Emi playfully elbowed her. "So, what's _your_ real poison of choice?"

"You really want to know?" Ryder smirked.

"Let me guess…" Emi looked thoughtful for a moment, "An apple martini?"

"An appletini?" Ryder scrunched her nose. "Not if it's some uptight cocktail party I was made to go to."

Emi laughed. "I'm never good at guessing people's drinks. So what is it?"

"Whiskey."

"Really?" she looked shocked at the blue-eyed girl.

"I like shots. Crown. Jack. Jameson. As a mixed drink, I'll usually order them with coke. Or a shot of Jameson mixed with a honey liquor. Don't like rum much. I think Captain Morgan is gross. I'll drink vodka tonics sometimes, too. Oh, and cranberry vodkas. Or just a shot of Grey Goose," Ryder laughed because she knew she was rambling. Drinking mostly with the boys at NYU, she could hold her own and even outdrank some of them under the table.

"Okay…remind me not to play any drinking games with you."

"Here you go, lassies," the bartender placed their two beers at the end of the bar.

"Thanks Dellard," Emi smiled.

"A pleasure as always," he gave a short bow with his head. "Okay!" he yelled back to the waiting line, "Who's next?"

"Look! A table just opened. Let's go!" Emi skirted fluidly past the people aiming for the same table. She sat down with a victorious grin while the others frowned on with disappointment. Ryder carefully carried her full glass in between people who were shoving to order at the bar and made it to the table without wasting a single drop.

"How did you do that?" Ryder asked Emi after she sat down.

"Do what?"

"It's like you walked right through those people." Ryder looked back at the mass of bodies and the narrow opening she had to squeeze through.

"Practice," the ginger-haired girl winked.

By their second beer, Ryder was beginning to feel its effects. It'd been a while since she drank anything alcoholic so her tolerance was at a low point. She also didn't eat much before going to the Village. But even with two beers back home on a night like this, the alcohol barely registered with her. Whatever was in this beer perhaps had a higher percent count than most beers she'd had and didn't care. She was feeling light and happy. The horrid first day she experienced melted away. Even Emi was singing some kind of tavern song Ryder's never heard of before—not that she knew any.

"Can we join you ladies?" a voice said behind her.

To her surprise, it was Declan carrying a pitcher of what looked like the same beer they were drinking and two other friends in tow. He was wearing a black button-up shirt with the top two undone showing off some of his chest hair and dark jeans. Both friends were equally as handsome.

"Umm…" Ryder turned to Emi who merely shrugged.

"Sure," replied Emi, "the more the merrier. Pull up a seat." And they did.

"Thanks," Declan smiled, sitting next to Ryder, placing the pitcher and their three glasses down. One friend sat next to Emi and the other grabbed a stool from somewhere and sat at the end of the table, which wasn't very big to begin with. "These are my best mates, Luka Murray and Colin Byrne. Boys, you know Emi and this other beautiful girl next to me is Ryder Grayson. The girl I was telling you about."

After the introductions were made, Ryder turned to Declan. "And what exactly were you saying about me?" she raised an eyebrow.

Declan grinned, "The entire University is talking about what transpired between you and Sardenus."

"Great," she buried her face in her hands. She suddenly started to feel sober so she took a big swig of her beer, finishing it on accident.

"There's more where that came from." Declan quickly refilled Ryder's glass along with the three empty ones on the table. Emi declined saying she was going to get some water instead and stood up, heading for the bar.

"So, what did happen between you and Sard?" Colin asked. He had wispy dirty-blonde hair with brown eyes and a scar on his right eyebrow. His built was similar to Declan's, wearing a plain shirt and black jeans. "I heard you knocked him out."

"Far from it," Ryder shook her head. "I just put my magic touch on him and had a brief chat about how he's a pig who shouldn't touch me." She casually took another sip of beer as if the incident wasn't a big deal.

"People say he looked shaken up…and pissed off about it," said Luka. He had greenish-gray eyes and brown hair down to his shoulders. He was wearing a fitted shirt with long sleeves and dark jeans like Declan.

"Sard's an ass," Declan added, taking a good swig of his beer. "He deserved whatever you did to him. The girls at school feel like you stood up for them as well."

"Really?" Ryder was skeptical. "And how do you know?"

"Because instead of dreading walking past him they look more confident with a serves-you-right attitude when they see him. Sard's been lying low since this afternoon."

The knowledge that something positive came out from what happened made Ryder feel a little better. She hoped the girls Sard's been an inappropriate jerk to will remain confident and remember that no guy has the right to make them feel like a play thing. "I wonder what's taking Emi so long?" she scanned the bar from her seat. Emi had been gone for some time so she started to worry.

Declan stood up to get a better view through the crowd since they were in the corner of the pub. He sat back down, smirking, after spotting her. "She's talking to someone at the bar." Ryder also stood up to see.

Her roommate was indeed talking to someone at the bar. A guy, in fact. Ryder couldn't really see what he looked like because his back to was her. All she could see was he had long blonde hair past his shoulders tied back in a low ponytail. Emi nodded and smiled at whatever he was saying. It looked like a conversation between them and the bartender named Dellard.

Emi finally caught Ryder's gaze and signaled to give her a second. Ryder nodded and sat back down. A few minutes later Emi returned not bothering to sit. "I have an early class tomorrow so think I'm going to head back."

"Are you okay?" Ryder asked, standing again.

"Yes," she smiled. "The water helped."

"You girls are leaving already? We just got here," Declan teasingly whined.

"Stay," Emi told Ryder. "I'll be fine walking back on my own. I've done it plenty of times before," she smiled. "The boys can escort you back."

"No…after the day I had, I'm exhausted. I'll go with you."

After much protesting from the three boys, the girls said their goodbyes. Declan said he was looking forward to seeing Ryder in class, which made her blush uncomfortably. Once outside in the cool air, Emi wrapped her arm around Ryder's. "What was that about?"

"What was what about?" she asked clueless.

"Oh, c'mon," Emi rolled her eyes. "Declan is clearly interested in you."

"What?" she laughed at the idea. "I barely know him. Yes, he's handsome…but I need to focus on my studies." His charm was hard to resist but she didn't know what kind of guy he really was and how many, if any, hearts he's broken over the years he's been at the University. "He doesn't strike me as the long lasting relationship kind of guy."

"Well, yeah…true," Emi hesitantly agreed. "But once he takes an interest in someone, he goes for it."

"What does that mean?"

"Declan is popular among the females at school. He's handsome, charming, an athlete, he's also pretty smart with high grades even though he seems lazy about his studies half the time."

"And all the obvious things about him, except for the smart thing," Ryder grinned.

"My point _is_," Emi stressed, "girls like to throw themselves at him, which, if you ask me, is pathetic. No one wants someone desperate for attention. He gets into relationships with girls because it's what _they_ want—not what _he_ wants."

Ryder was still confused. "So he likes to lead girls on? Is that what you're saying?"

"No…well, not exactly. Of course he shows some kind of interest in them, otherwise he'd be a total ass like Sard and we all know one Sard at MU is plenty. I just meant that his relationships normally don't last long because he can't fully commit himself. But—if he shows the first signs of interest, it's more meaningful."

"Okay…so you're saying that because he's the one showing interest first, we have a better chance of making things work between us?"

"Exactly," Emi smiled.

"That sounds wonderful and all, but like I said, I need to concentrate on what's important to me right now. I'm not looking for any type of relationship or people thinking I'm romantically linked to anyone. I just finished the first day and look at what's already happened. I just want to focus on one thing at a time."

Emi gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I understand perfectly. I just wanted you to be aware of how he looks at you."

"Did you two ever…date?" Ryder inquisitively asked. A part of her wondered why Emi was giving her so much information on the boy she only met this morning.

"Oh, goodness no!" Emi looked sick at the idea. "Of course you wouldn't know because I haven't mentioned it and I'm sure he hasn't either, but we're sort of…related."

"What?" Ryder laughed in disbelief. "You and Declan Finn are related?"

She rolled her eyes, "I said _sort of_. By marriage."

"You don't seem very happy about it?"

"It's not that," Emi sighed. "We only found out when we both started at MU. Our fathers ran into each other on campus when we were settling in. Many in my family opposed the union that happened with his family, my father included, so you can imagine what family gatherings are like."

"Sorry to hear," Ryder said sympathetically. "Can I ask why your family was so against the marriage?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," she wearily answered, "not of noble blood, wrong side of the tracks kind of attraction, running away together—that sort of thing."

"Wait—" Ryder stopped walking only a few feet from the school's main entrance. "Are you saying this happened like…decades ago?"

"Believe it or not, the animosity has span throughout the ages."

"Wow…" Ryder was lost for words. Emi's family had been holding a grudge on Declan's family since the Middle Ages from what it sounded like.

"Anyway, it has nothing to do with the present. Declan and I don't believe in that 'you're a commoner and I'm a noble' type of attitude. It's like saying, 'I went to a University while you spent your days on a farm,'" she rolled her eyes again. "It's the modern world. Anyone should freely love whomever they want."

Ryder smiled. "I agree. Hey, by the way…who were you talking to at the bar?"

"You'll meet him soon enough," she replied with a wink. "Let's get inside."

**x x x**

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	5. Always Be Here For You

**Always Be Here For You**

The events of last night left Ryder in a groggy, dehydrated state. Not to mention the pounding headache she acquired from the amount of alcohol she consumed with Emi at Mirkwood Tavern. Water and aspirin barely did anything to help while she tried focusing on the lectures.

Her roommate already left by the time she managed to roll out of bed, and from the quick, quiet movements of Emi, she didn't seem to have the same problem.

Declan also wasn't in the one class they had so she assumed he was in a far worse state than her when he woke up. Either that or he simply wasn't a morning person. In a way, she was glad not having to face him after what Emi told her about him last night. It was interesting enough that they were related by marriage, but entertaining the idea he might be interested in her was something she'd rather brush off.

Mr. Dimples was definitely handsome there was no doubt about that. From the evil glares of girls aim at her when she was around him proved that she wasn't the only one who thought so. Emi also confirmed just exactly how popular he was. Ryder began to wonder if she'd one day end up becoming like those girls if this nothing between them potentially turned into something.

People often say they'll stay focused on one thing and won't let distractions get in the way—but sometimes if the distraction was worth it, one could always change their mind. Ryder was usually good about balancing her personal life and school life, except for the tragedy she wasn't prepared for of losing Colonel Henry Grayson. She wasn't sure if she was ready to let anyone else enter her life again because his death took its emotional toll. Caring for someone—like a boy—who might only leave you disappointed and hurt wasn't a priority.

x x x

By the time noon rolled around, the throbbing headache Ryder felt finally began to subside. Not wanting to risk food settling unpleasantly in her stomach before class, she opted out of eating breakfast. Even just looking at the granola bar she usually ate on her way out the door made her stomach protest. She got a silent text from Emi during her last mid-morning class to meet her in the Village for lunch. _Have something for you_, her text read.

"Hey." Ryder saw Emi near the entrance to the Village, greeting her with a hug. "I'm so hungry I can eat a pig and a sheep." Her stomach might not be ready to accept anything yet but she had to try.

"Good," Emi chuckled, "because there's another great restaurant here that serves the best burgers and steaks. The pork chop isn't half bad either."

"I'm game."

They walked toward the other students who were getting food from what they considered the food court of the Village, comprised of not only restaurants but also street cart vendors, entering a place called Pippin's. The inside was mostly made of wood with dark natural-stone countertops and laminate flooring. It had a cozy cabin feel to it with a fireplace in the back. There was already a good line forming with cashiers and servers taking orders and bringing out trays like it was second nature to them. The rhythm they moved in was like a dance. They were the fastest people she'd ever seen in a place that served food.

"Besides the good food, the service is quick, too," Emi smiled.

"Before I forget, you said you had something for me?" Ryder waited to ask after they ordered and found a table.

"Here. Take this for your headache." Emi handed her a small vile with a cap. It was about the size of her index finger.

"What is this?" she examined it. The liquid inside was a greenish color with small pieces of what resembled tea leaves floating inside. Because her imagination told her it looked like sewer water, Ryder had to grit her teeth and breathe through her nose to stop herself from wanting to throw up.

"You don't look so well. Are you okay?" Emi looked at her with concern.

"What is this?" she asked again, speaking through clenched teeth.

"It's mostly herbs mixed with water. Trust me, it's not as bad as it looks. I promise it'll help."

Taking another deep breath, Ryder quickly opened the cap and drank its contents without giving it another thought. If she hesitated a moment longer she knew she'd psych herself out. With palms flat on the table, she readied herself to run to the nearest bathroom in case her stomach rumbled with dislike.

The liquid warmed her throat sending the sensation down to her belly. There was a hint of mint and other herbs she couldn't place. It was also kind of bitter. Within a matter of seconds her stomach settled and her head felt clearer. Looking at down at their food that just arrived she was hungrier than before. She blinked in surprise. "I feel...fine."

"And hungrier?" Emi smirked as if she read her mind.

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Slight side effect. It basically cleanses the alcohol out of your system and anything you've digested in the last couple of hours. That's why it's better to take it with food. Given the way you looked this morning I assumed you wouldn't have eaten anything. That's why I chose this place."

Ryder smiled. "You're the best." The amount of food and carbs at Pippin's would sure to give them their fill. Ryder took a bite of the chicken burger she ordered and sighed with happiness. "This is so good. I feel like I haven't eaten in days."

Pippin's filled with more people and the conversations around them became louder. Was it always like this? They had to lean into the table so the other person could hear without having to shout at each other. "This is a typical day."

"At least it's not as crowded as Mirkwood Tavern," Ryder smiled, rolling her eyes. Emi agreed with a nod, taking a bite out of her turkey burger.

Today was finally beginning to feel like a normal day. After drinking the hangover cure her roommate gave her, it was like last night's events never took its hold on her this morning. Ryder still had a lot of adjusting to do but with time, she knew things would get better. At least she hoped it would.

Almost finished with her food, she looked around the restaurant at no one in particular. A pair of eyes staring at her from the corner of the restaurant caught her attention. It was Sard. He sat at a table with his friends who were laughing at a story being told by a boy with a buzzed head. Eating his fries slowly, Sard seemed miles away from what was going on around him. His eyes were unreadable and so was the expression on his face. They appeared blank like he wasn't really looking at her but _through_ her.

"He hasn't been himself since yesterday," said Emi, knowing where Ryder's focus was behind her shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

"He's been pretty quiet since he left Sir Gandalf's office. Sard's known to be loud and boisterous, always wanting everyone to know when they were in his presence," she rolled her eyes. "But...it's like he's gotten a personality adjustment or something."

Maybe Sir Gandalf finally set him straight or threatened to expel him if he got out of line again. Rumors Ryder's heard around the campus halls were that Sard had strict parents and expected a lot from him academically. Both parents graduated from Mirkwood University with honors and made it clear he needed to follow in their footsteps. Like Declan's lazy exterior, Sard was supposedly smart as well. Was the arrogant jerk personality just a façade he carried to seem cool to his friends?

When she glanced back in his direction, he was joined in his table's conversation again. He still seemed off to Ryder, but the change in his attitude probably also had a lot of people scratching their heads.

"Hey," Emi stared at her, bringing her eyes back to their own table.

Ryder blinked her thoughts away. "Sorry."

"What time are you having dinner with your uncle tonight?"

"He's coming here around six, which just gives me enough time to get ready after my wonderful chore this afternoon."

Emi looked at her with sympathy. "I'm sorry. At least it's only twice a week."

"For an _entire_ month," Ryder reminded her.

x x x

The rest of the day went on smoothly with no types of squabbles. Even Sard was a no-show in the hallway they shared for their classes. Emi told her Declan is known to usually miss his morning lectures and recruits his friends who are in the same classes to fill him in. Not being a morning person and most likely being hung-over would do the trick of staying in bed.

After her final class, Ryder went back to her dorm room to change into more comfortable clothes. Her day was over so she was no longer required to wear her uniform. The punishment Sir Gandalf gave her was to spend an hour and a half twice a week helping put away equipment in the girls' gymnasium. With the different sports the school offered, she knew it wasn't going to be as easy as it seemed.

The girls' gymnasium and the boys' gymnasium were only separated by the equipment room they shared. One side held the girls sport, the other, the boys. The open field outside was for both to use.

Meeting the girls' equipment director, she instructed Ryder to grab some of the netted bags so she could put away the various sports balls scattered around the floor. She was a tall woman with her dark brown hair braided down her back, wearing a school staff shirt and name tag that read: Mrs. Van Norton.

In the equipment room, Ryder's curiosity sparked an interest on what the boys were doing on their side of the building. There was a direct window into their gym and since the equipment director was busy talking to a staff member, Ryder decided to take a quick peek. Some of the sports ran late but she didn't know which ones.

Walking up to the window with the netted bags in hand, she only saw one person inside. Their gym was bigger than the girls but she could see him clearly, except for his face covered by a fencing mask.

He was practicing his fencing techniques, lunging and defending himself like he had a real opponent. His moves were graceful and precise as if the fencing sword was a part of him. This man was clearly the instructor. No student in training could move like that. The masked man suddenly stopped and stood upright, cranking his neck in her direction, most likely sensing her staring at him.

Bending his head down, he took off his protective mask revealing long blonde locks with two plaited braids on either side of his head. The handsome man stared back at her with piercing blue eyes. He didn't look much older than her so maybe he was a student after all? His sudden step toward Ryder made her take a step back.

"What are you doing?" The voice of the equipment director made her jump.

She turned around, embarrassed. "Just gathering all the nets I could find."

"All the nets you need are on _this_ side of the room," she said sternly.

"Yes, ma'am." Taking another quick glance in the boys' gym, the unmasked man was gone. She walked briskly back to the other side of the room with her head down as she passed Mrs. Van Norton, who didn't look pleased with her side adventure.

x x x

"Hi." Ryder gave her uncle a brief, awkward hug when she saw him at the restaurant he picked.

Aragorn stood up like a gentleman when she approached. She hadn't noticed more upscale restaurants like this in the Village. The sign on outside wall in calligraphy read _Bilbo's Shire._ It was more tucked away, secluded, from the main food court. Mostly the school staff filled the place eating and reading or going over papers to grade. Even some of the older villagers were there having a quiet dinner. Ryder understood why the adults preferred this location. It wasn't as crowded and busy with students. One could actually think and relax.

"I hope you don't mind, but I ordered for us already," he said as he pulled out her seat for her. "I ordered you the blackened chicken and creamy angel hair pasta."

"No, that's perfect. I like pasta," she smiled politely. Food was her friend and the dish he picked sounded delicious. Glancing at the other tables and the food people were eating, she had no doubt it would be to her liking.

"So…how was your first and second day at Mirkwood University?" Aragorn asked casually. He was dressed in another stylish suit, wearing a pale blue tie, his cufflinks exposed with the initials _AE_ as he clasped his hands on the table. Ryder's never seen him in casual attire and wondered if he even owned any.

Has Sir Gandalf gotten the chance to tell him about yesterday's events? The look on his face gave nothing away. Maybe he was waiting for her to come clean before giving a proper lecturing? "I'm adjusting," she responded. It seemed like a safe answer without revealing too much if word hadn't gotten to him yet about what she did to Sardenus Groth.

A slight smile formed on his lips telling her perhaps he already knew. But why hasn't he said anything? There was a look in his gray eyes of…amusement? "Well, I hope things will only continue to get better for you. Remember you can always come to me for anything."

"Thank you," she half-smiled.

When their food arrived, he ordered some kind of baked fish with spinach and tomatoes for himself. The pasta he ordered for her felt like heaven covered in creamy sauce. The one thing she definitely liked about the Village is all the wonderful food they offered. She thought there's a good chance she's already gained five pounds since yesterday. Finding a good trail to run on this weekend to burn some of the extra calories was something she was going to attempt to do.

During the course of their meal, Aragorn asked her about her childhood and the different places she's visited. He seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her and shared some of his own experiences when he was round her age of not wanting to deal with responsibility and even running away at one point. "I didn't always make the best decisions but I'm thankful for what it taught me."

"Were your parents strict on you?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, my father died when I very little. I have no memories of him. My mother shortly thereafter. I was raised by a guardian and a very wise mentor who I would say was strict for a good reason. He taught me many things and because of my rebellious nature at the time, he eventually allowed me to make my own mistakes and learn from them when I was ready."

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents," Ryder frowned. "That's great you had someone who was a positive influence on you. As you know I lost my mother when I was young, too. My dad was wonderful, teaching me a lot of lessons and life skills…I guess you could say. Even though I sometimes felt like he wished he had a son instead of a daughter, and I protested most of the things he wanted me to learn, I know he was only doing his best with what he knew. He gave me everything I ever wanted."

"Giving the world to their child is what every parent wants," Aragorn kindly smiled.

"May I ask you a personal question?"

"By all means."

"Do you have a wife? Or have children?" The blue-eyed girl was cautious to ask in case it was a sensitive subject. She never saw anyone else in his mansion except for his servants but she had to ask for curiosity's sake. Knowing Aragorn's past and what type of man he was she felt was also necessary if they were to build a good, solid and trusting relationship. Being her only known family, she didn't want to remain strangers.

The twinkle in his eyes faltered even though the small smile on his lips remained. "My wife died a long time ago from an accident. No children."

"I'm sorry…" Ryder felt like an insensitive jerk for asking, averting her eyes to her plate. She suddenly didn't feel very hungry.

"Don't be. I'm happy that you want to know more about me," he assured her. Glancing up again, the kindness in his eyes was still there. For some inexplicable reason she felt safe with him. "I'll always be here for you."

**x x x**

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	6. The Unexpected Target

**The Unexpected Target**

It was finally Friday. As the days passed, things resumed their somewhat normal course. Ryder and Sard made eye contact from time to time around campus or in the Village but that was it. There was no hollering or inappropriate fondling on his end. He simply stared at her with a kind of bitterness looming around him. She didn't care if he stared at her with daggers as long as he kept his distance.

Declan Finn, on the other hand, was a different matter. Except for the one day, he'd been showing up regularly for class, surprising Professor Dahoon and a few other students who knew his attendance record well. He always scouted the lecture hall for Ryder, asking her to save him a seat next to her even when other girls asked him to sit with them. Declan politely turned them down and bounded through the rows toward her.

His charming smile wherever he approached made Ryder blush and she tried to play it off by shuffling in her seat or flipping through her notebook. Trying with all her might to concentrate on what their instructor was saying it wasn't easy not letting her thoughts stray to the boy next to her.

Stealing glances, he appeared focused on what was being said. And the times that he caught her staring didn't faze him. Smiling with his dimple in view, he'd simply continue to jot down notes. Ryder figured he's used to the attention so he let her stare all she wanted. After Earth Biology he usually offered to walk her to her next class since it was in the same Hall as his, even during the times when he needed to head in a different direction. Declining his offer never got her anywhere so she stopped trying to leave without him.

"Looks like you and Declan have been spending more time together," Emi suppressed a grin. "Someone asked me if you two were dating."

"What? That's ridiculous," Ryder shook her head. "It's only been like a week. And I told you I don't have time for that." They brought lunch back from the Village and decided to eat it under a shaded tree in the courtyard. It was cold out but the sun shining made it bearable.

"Time for what? Becoming friends with someone who wants to get to know you better?"

"Yeah..." she sounded unsure about her answer.

"So you really don't like him? Even just a little?" Emi asked inquisitively. "Because he seems to like you."

"Well, I think he's cute and of course charming but—"

"But?"

"I don't want to force things between us. And he's just being friendly. He hasn't even asked me out on a date."

"Hey Ryder!"

"Speak of the devil," Emi muttered under her breath.

"Hey."

"Hey," Declan smiled at the both of them. The top button of his shirt was undone and his tie loose around his neck. "I was wondering if I could borrow your notes from class from the other day? I'd also owe you big if I could go over my notes with you. Half of it doesn't make sense to me. Missing that day really screwed me up. I got swim practice this weekend so I don't have a lot of time to study, otherwise I wouldn't be bugging you on a Friday. So what do you say? Maybe we can grab some coffee in the process?"

"Glad to see you're finally perking up your attendance, cousin," Emi commented with a slight jib. Ryder narrowed her eyes at her but Declan didn't notice.

"Yeah," he chuckled, "knock on wood."

"I should be free after two today," Ryder replied, squinting up at him because of the sun in her eyes.

Fridays was one of her shorter days and she was going to use today to relax before she tackled her assignments. But, she couldn't say no to Declan. Not because she wanted to spend more time with him, but because he asked for her help. Considering they were now friends, she wouldn't be much of one if she lied about being busy just to avoid being alone with him.

"Cool. Thanks. You're the best," he smiled happily. "I'll meet you at Merry's Coffee Shop, say around two-thirty?"

"Sounds good."

"Well. There goes your date," the ginger-haired girl laughed softly when he was no longer in sight. "Ask and you shall receive!"

"First of all, it's not a date. I'm helping him with his notes for class. Secondly, I didn't agree to have coffee. It's just a place where we're meeting."

"It might not be a real date but it's still a study date."

"Whatever," Ryder sighed. "Call it what you want. But don't be too disappointed if nothing happens between us."

"I never said there would," Emi shrugged, giving Ryder an innocent look that she didn't buy.

Rolling her eyes again, she wanted to quickly get off the subject. "Do you know who the fencing instructor is?"

"Fencing instructor?" Her roommate raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her question. "There isn't one. Mirkwood University doesn't offer fencing as a sport for girls. Only the boys."

"That's what I meant." Ryder felt a little embarrassed for asking. It was like she had plans on stalking the mystery man she saw in the boys' gym, which she had no intention of doing. Whatsoever. She was simply...curious.

Raising another questioning eyebrow, Emi shrugged again. "I'm not sure? From what I heard, the last instructor retired last year. Why do you ask?"

Of course the bright-eyed girl would ask why she was asking. "No reason. Just saw someone with a mask on practicing yesterday. Thought it might be a teacher."

And it was true. He was wearing a mask. However, she left out the fact that she also got a brief look at his handsome features—beautiful blue eyes, long blonde hair, a square jaw, tall, graceful and intriguing; another male-looking model to add to her list of guys who seemed to hail from the runway. He might also be more handsome than Declan. And that was saying a lot.

"Could be."

x x x

"See you later," Ryder gave Emi a quick wave goodbye. Class was over and following the directions Declan text to her, she headed down to meet him at the café he chose.

"Have a good time studying. Hope he learns a lot," Emi tried to say in a serious tone but failed. "Don't forget to order the crème brûlée latte. It's excellent there."

"Sure," she replied with a smile, shaking her head. Her roommate had nothing better to do than make things between her and Declan appear to be a bigger deal than it really was. Ryder didn't mind so much since it was all in good fun and Emi wasn't annoying about it. Once she hit that point, the teasing would need to stop.

Ryder Grayson always kept an open mind but a relationship was not something she was looking into pursuing. As the days passed though, she kept feeling more and more excited every time Declan approached her. Was Emi's teasing finally getting to her and the possibilities of a romance during her senior year? It was hard to tell. There were still so many things she was struggling with internally. And the masked man was still implanted in her thoughts.

"Hey, thanks for meeting me," Declan stood up and pulled out the chair opposite from him.

"Thanks." Ryder sat down. A person pulling out her chair for her was still something to get used to. The only other person who ever did it was Aragorn or one of his servants.

"I ordered you the crème brûlée latte."

"And how did you know that's what I wanted?"

"I asked Emi," he replied sheepishly. That was thoughtful of him. Mostly clever asking her roommate. "It's the least I can do."

"She told me you're related...by marriage."

"Yes, we are. We just tell people we're cousins. It's easier that way. But our families 'should not be joined because we're not cut from the same cloth' so says Emi's family," he dryly added the last part.

"She told me about that, too," Ryder frowned sympathetically. "But neither you nor Emi feel that way."

"The younger generation in our families could care less about the past. None of us understand what the big deal was. Might as well have been angry for one side stealing a pig so the other stole a sheep to get even."

She had to laugh at the pig and sheep example. "Well, there are plenty of both around here."

After briefly talking about him and Emi's family, they got to work. Ryder opened her notebook and explained her notes while he wrote down her explanations. It gave Declan a better understanding of the notes he took from the last couple of days. Their first exam was scheduled for next week.

"That's a lot of information," he said, stretching in his seat with his arms in the air. "Let's take a break." The dimpled cheek boy put down his pen and flipped through the pages of their required text book. Noticing Ryder staring at him, he gave her a quizzical look. "What? Did I mark my face with my pen again?"

"No," she chuckled. "I just heard you're pretty smart."

"That's what most people think," he smiled with a good-humored roll of his eyes. "I'm only smart because I have people like you willing to lend me their notes and explain the assignments to me. That, and the fact that I study hard."

"You seem like a quick learner."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I retain information well, that's all."

"You're modest, too," Ryder laughed softly.

For the next few hours they also went over the practice exam and quizzed each other. They were great study partners, helping out where one was having a hard time understanding a definition from the textbook. Declan told her that Professor Dahoon always made their study guides harder than the exam. He should know since he's taken two other biology classes of hers in the past.

During another break of theirs, Declan's friends that Ryder met at the bar looked relieved after they found him. "We've been calling and texting you for the last hour," said Luka.

"I'm studying," he replied, motioning to the pile of papers on the table and to Ryder sitting across from him. "My phone's been on silent."

"A bunch of us are going to the Tavern for some much needed drinks to end the week. You both should join us," Colin smiled at Ryder.

Behind him three boys sat at another table looking in their direction. One winked at her, licking his lips. She inwardly shivered at the gesture, reminding her too much of her encounter with Sard.

"So what do you say?" Luka asked, getting her to refocus on his question.

"I don't know, man," Declan spoke first, arching his back, stretching once more. He glanced at his watch in surprise. "Geez, it's already that late?" Ryder looked at her own watch not realizing how many hours they've spent at Merry's. The sky was also beginning to darken outside.

"You guys have studied enough. C'mon, one drink," Colin tried persuading them. Declan looked like he wanted to go but was torn in leaving Ryder if she wasn't up for it.

"Go," she urged. "It's Friday. Have fun with your friends. I think we got a pretty good handle on this exam."

"Join us," he pleaded with his hazel eyes that seemed to shine in the dim café lights.

"I need to call back my uncle. Got a missed call from him earlier and I need to go over some other notes for another class, too."

"Are you sure? I could stay with you. We go to Mirkwood Tavern all the time."

"Declan," she smiled kindly, placing a hand on his forearm, "I think I'll be fine in a coffee shop by myself. The school's only minutes away and it's not that late for a girl like me to be walking alone in the dark. I can also take care of myself remember?"

He smiled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I know. I was just still enjoying your company." Colin wrapped his arm around his friend's neck and rubbed his head as Luka laughed. Declan rolled his eyes with a small, embarrassed grin.

Ryder blushed and pretended what Declan said wasn't a big deal by quietly laughing along. "Well, it looks like your friends miss _your _company."

"Yes we do Declan-poo!" Colin playfully planted a kiss on his cheek.

"C'mon, man!" Declan pushed away his friend and wiped his face with the back of his hand. With a sigh, he gathered his things in his backpack and stood up. "Sure you don't wanna change your mind?" he asked Ryder again, his eyes hoping she'd reconsider.

"I'm sure," she gave a confident nod. "Have fun for the both of us."

"We promise we won't let him drunk text you," Luka grinned, which got him a shove in the arm.

"Let's go before you two embarrass yourselves," Declan pushed his friends toward the door who went willingly after saying goodbye to Ryder. He turned toward her with an apologetic smile while they waited outside. "Sorry about them. They usually mean well. Thanks again for helping me out. I had a great time studying with you. Time just seemed to fly by—in a good way. We should become regular study partners."

"Yeah, sure," she nodded with a half-smile. She agreed that they worked well together. Declan had the same study habits and someone who can focus like her and answer some of the questions that she didn't understand was a bonus. Getting the chance to discreetly stare at his good looking face for hours wasn't so bad either.

"Alright well…see ya," he gave her a crooked smile and caught up with his friends who were still teasing him as disappeared from view. Ryder shook her head, quietly laughing at their behavior.

Glancing at her phone, she wondered what her uncle wanted. She planned on listening to his message when she got back to her dorm room so hopefully, it wasn't anything important that needed to be listened to immediately. If it were, she assumed he would call again. Ryder wanted to spend more time going over other assignments while the information was still fresh in her memory.

Flipping her hair back over her shoulder to get it out of the way, she saw the boys on the far end of the café still looking at her. There were three of them. Their glances made her uncomfortable. It's like they were just loitering. Ryder didn't notice them enter or order anything. They couldn't have been studying because none of them had their backpacks or books.

The occupants of the café were finally lessening so she thought it best to head back to her dorm room to call Aragorn and to get away from the sudden change in the atmosphere they brought.

Pretending they didn't exist, the brown-haired girl walked right passed them. Once outside, a sigh of relief escaped her as she headed back to the University. A few moments later, she heard them exit the coffee shop as well, talking to each other and laughing. The one who winked at her was smiling mischievously. "Leaving already?" he called out, wiping his long bangs to the side.

Ryder's eyes grew bigger, finally placing their faces. They were Sard's friends. What did they want with her? Revenge for embarrassing their group's leader? "The night's still young. Come hang out with us," another said, smirking.

"No, thanks," she glared at them to show she wasn't afraid, even though her heart was racing in her chest. Ryder turned and continued to her destination in a brisk walk. She'd rather not have them catch up to her and running would make it look like she was scared of their interaction. A satisfaction she didn't want to give. Looking back every few minutes, they still followed her at a distance. There was something sinister in their eyes that weren't there before.

x x x

Street lamps finally turned on to light the Village.

Bumping into people, she apologized for not paying attention to where she was walking. Picking up her pace and trying to maneuver her way through groups of friends in the street, the three boys also picked up their speed. It was to the point where they were running after her. Knowing she would never outrun them she had to think fast.

Because Declan gave her directions to the coffee shop, she didn't know was which direction Mirkwood Tavern was in and couldn't run to Declan for protection. Getting into another altercation also wasn't an option. This time around, she would only defend herself as a last resort. There had to be another way to get them to leave her alone. Grabbing the first person she saw walking out of a tailor shop, she linked her arm around the individual and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Sweetie, there you are! You were supposed to meet me at Merry's remember?" she smiled sweetly, not really paying attention to her confused target. She only wanted her pursuers to think she was meeting up with someone and since he didn't look like he was with anyone, she quickly recruited him as her fake boyfriend. She glanced back, noting that they stopped in their tracks a few feet away. The menacing look in their eyes now had a hint of fear. "Sorry, I don't mean to get you involved but I'm trying to get rid of those guys who are following me," she whispered.

"Those three young men?" he asked. His voice made Ryder finally give him a good look. She gasped, removing her arms from his like he had just burned her.

It was the man in the fencing mask.

"Yes," she replied, her throat suddenly dry. He placed a protective arm around her waist, holding her close, which caught her off guard.

Simply staring at them, his blue eyes turned icy. There were no words spoken between him and Sard's friends at that moment but they understood what he wanted. "Don't ever go near her again." The steady, chilling power in his voice was a command that had to be obeyed.

"We were just having some fun," one of them with platinum-tipped hair laughed nervously.

"Your fun is over."

"C'mon," the boy with the long bangs motioned to his friends. He didn't look as intimidated by Ryder's savior as the other two did. If anything, there was a hateful glare in his eyes.

After they disappeared back into the crowd, Ryder relaxed. "Thank you…and I'm sorry for kissing you like that," she said blushing.

"There's no need for apologies," he smiled. He was dressed in a white buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up and gray slacks. His hair was also in the same plaited style she last saw him in. This man was even more gorgeous in person and all she could do was stare into his eyes that held so much depth to them. He smiled again, not seeming to mind her examination of his features.

"I…I have to go. Thanks again!" She left in a rush still not knowing who he was. Her racing heart only began to slow down the closer she got to the school grounds.

Ryder kept her guard in case the three showed up unexpectedly again until she reached her room, locking the door behind her. "Hey." Ryder jumped at Emi's voice, unaware she was there. "You…okay?" Emi gave her a wondering look.

From the way her books were scattered on her bed she was just wrapping up studying as well.

"You startled me," she dropped her book bag on the floor and sat on her bed, kicking off her shoes.

"So…how was it?" Emi's eyes lit up with curiosity as it always did when she wanted to know the scoop on something.

"Interesting."

**x x x**

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_**Please review!**_


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